bug#36636: Tell users to update/reconfigure regularly

bug#36636: Tell users to update/reconfigure regularly

[pelzflorian (Florian Pelz)]

When installing Guix System from the iso image, users should be told
to pull and reconfigure regularly.  Even though it is mentioned in the
manual, not everyone reads manuals.  I believe Guix’ target users
include inexperienced users who do not know that they should update
and upgrade regularly.  Therefore the installer should tell users how
to do so and that it is important and perhaps what to do if things
break.

Of course, some users still won’t update and they should have the
liberty to decide for themselves, but some users just forget to
update.  Ubuntu defaults to automatic updates, which slow down the
machine and annoy users.  Still, maybe there should be notifications
like a cron job invoking libnotify’s notify-send.

Regards,
Florian

bug#36636: Tell users to update/reconfigure regularly

[Ludovic Courtès]

Hello,

"pelzflorian (Florian Pelz)" <pelzflorian@pelzflorian.de> skribis:

> When installing Guix System from the iso image, users should be told
> to pull and reconfigure regularly.  Even though it is mentioned in the
> manual, not everyone reads manuals.  I believe Guix’ target users
> include inexperienced users who do not know that they should update
> and upgrade regularly.  Therefore the installer should tell users how
> to do so and that it is important and perhaps what to do if things
> break.

The ‘guix’ command itself tells you to do so.  But of course, if you
never run ‘guix’, you never see that message.

> Of course, some users still won’t update and they should have the
> liberty to decide for themselves, but some users just forget to
> update.  Ubuntu defaults to automatic updates, which slow down the
> machine and annoy users.  Still, maybe there should be notifications
> like a cron job invoking libnotify’s notify-send.

Sounds like something we can do.

Ultimately though, what can we do for users who do not read the manual
and do not run ‘guix’ either?  Would a notification really help?

Longer-term I think we should have an unattended upgrade service, and it
should probably be part of ‘%desktop-services’.

Thoughts?

Ludo’.

bug#36636: Tell users to update/reconfigure regularly

[pelzflorian (Florian Pelz)]

Yes, you are right that unattended upgrades are a more responsible
default than a notification cron job.  Unattended upgrades would
resolve this issue.  Should an unattended upgrades service be added to
Guix’ list of longer-term todos and this bug be closed?

Regards,
Florian

bug#36636: Tell users to update/reconfigure regularly

[Jesse Gibbons]

On Sun, 14 Jul 2019 18:36:45 +0200
"pelzflorian (Florian Pelz)" <pelzflorian@pelzflorian.de> wrote:

> Yes, you are right that unattended upgrades are a more responsible
> default than a notification cron job.  Unattended upgrades would
> resolve this issue.  Should an unattended upgrades service be added to
> Guix’ list of longer-term todos and this bug be closed?
> 
> Regards,
> Florian
> 
> 
> 

How often would the job be run by default? Daily? Weekly? I presume it
would be configurable to run more or less often.

bug#36636: Tell users to update/reconfigure regularly

[Ludovic Courtès]

Jesse Gibbons <jgibbons2357@gmail.com> skribis:

> How often would the job be run by default? Daily? Weekly? I presume it
> would be configurable to run more or less often.

It should definitely be configurable.

Ludo’.

bug#36636: Tell users to update/reconfigure regularly

[Ludovic Courtès]

Hello,

"pelzflorian (Florian Pelz)" <pelzflorian@pelzflorian.de> skribis:

> Yes, you are right that unattended upgrades are a more responsible
> default than a notification cron job.  Unattended upgrades would
> resolve this issue.  Should an unattended upgrades service be added to
> Guix’ list of longer-term todos and this bug be closed?

It’d be great if you could open an issue for unattended upgrades (it
could be implemented anytime, it’s not a long-term task), and close this
one.

Thanks,
Ludo’.

bug#36636: Tell users to update/reconfigure regularly

[pelzflorian (Florian Pelz)]

On Mon, Jul 15, 2019 at 11:13:36AM +0200, Ludovic Courtès wrote:
> It’d be great if you could open an issue for unattended upgrades (it
> could be implemented anytime, it’s not a long-term task), and close this
> one.
> 
> Thanks,
> Ludo’.

Thank you.  It’s at: https://issues.guix.gnu.org/issue/36659

Closing.

Regards,
Florian